On 15th April 1989, 96 Liverpool FC fans lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, the worst stadium related disaster in Britain and one of the world's worst football disasters. However something sadder than the disaster itself, was an article written in the British tabloid, The Sun.

Four days after the Hillsborough disaster, The Sun released a front-page article, headlined "THE TRUTH" followed by three subheadings saying "Some fans picked pockets of victims", "Some fans urinated on the brave cops" and "Some fans beat up PC giving kiss of life. The article claimed "drunken Liverpool fans viciously attacked rescue workers as they tried to revive victims" and "police officers, firemen and ambulance crew were punched, kicked and urinated upon". A quote, attributed to an unnamed policeman claimed that Liverpool fans were "openly urinating on us and the dead". These allegations were all false. In fact the uninjured fans werehelping to give first aid to the injured, and were tearing down advertising hoardings to be used as stretchers. Kelvin Mackenzie, the editor of The Sun at that time, refuses to apologise for what was written in the article

Understandably, many people in Liverpool were angry at The Sun. Imagine how you would feel if someone you loved, went to a football match and never returned and then you saw that article full of lies. Or if you had been at the game but survived and then you saw that article blaming you for what happened. Posters were put up around Liverpool, urging people not to buy The Sun. Many newsagents refused to stock it. The boycott of The Sun is still going strong today. On 6th January 2007, Liverpool fans held up coloured cards spelling out "The Truth" and chanted "Justice for the 96" for six minutes at the beginning of Liverpool's FA Cup match. The protest was aimed at Kelvin MacKenzie, The Sun and the BBC for employing MacKenzie. Many Liverpudlians, call the paper The Scum instead of The Sun.

You don't need to be from Liverpool or a Liverpool supporter to see why The Sun should be boycotted. You just need to have a heart. If you do support Liverpool but you buy The Sun, then you are not a true fan. There is no excuse for buying or reading The Sun. Regardless of what competitions they are running or free giveaways they claim to have. Even if it's the only newspaper left in the shop.It's simple.

DON'T BUY THE SUN

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